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Is Breast Cancer Genetic

Is Breast Cancer Genetic

You may be one of the people who hardly ever walks briskly and would only run if you had to, and even if it’d take you over a minute to cross the finish line in a 100M sprint you can still have genetic predispositions ‘running’ in your family. You very likely look like your mother or father, or a nice mix of both and for that reason there is a better chance that you’ll be inheriting their health tendencies too. Take poor eyesight. If your parents wear glasses, then you’ll probably be needing them too eventually. Unfortunately, heart disease and cancer run in families too and that is not the answer people will want to hear when asking is breast cancer genetic.

It can be, and we should remember that even though they don’t have large mammary glands it is possible for men to get breast cancer too. It does not occur nearly as frequently with men, but breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer for women. Those with a mother who had breast cancer are more at risk of being diagnosed with it themselves, and that is why they’re encouraged to be much more proactive with breast self-exams. Early detection is key to favorable treatment outcomes when a person has cancer, and that is every bit as true for breast cancer detection too.

Looking further into breast cancer genetics, it is important that people of either gender know that people who get breast cancer will not always get it because they have that genetic predisposition. Breast cancer is like any other type of cancer in that people can also get it because of exposure to cancer-causing factors or because of lifestyle choices like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Even eating poorly can lead a person to get cancer when they otherwise might have avoided it.

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The next question here then is going to be what percentage of breast cancer is genetic, and the answer for it is that only 5 to 10% of cases. So, in asking is breast cancer genetic we can take this to mean that while you can inherit more of a risk of breast cancer from your genes, it is not the reason women get breast cancer most of the time. When it is genetic, however, it is almost always because the woman has a BRCA mutated gene that’s been passed down by one parent or the other.

The chance of that unfortunate inheritance is what will prompt people to ask is breast cancer genetics. But hearing that it is such a low number of cases where the gene mutation is causing breast cancer is going to be quite reassuring for a lot of women with a family member who has had breast cancer. Others may have chronic itching in this area of their body and wonder if an itchy breast means cancer. It doesn’t, and what is more likely happening in those scenarios is that woman has mastitis causing the itching.

Wrapping up here the one takeaway that every woman should have here is that doing regular breast self-examinations is super important even if cancer does not run in your family.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.

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